Christmas Past, Present, Future
by Amazonia-V
Summary: A story featuring Superman and Wonder Woman, with much of the influences of the holiday season. Thanks to ImFanci for the beta.
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE

WHAT were you supposed to do when the man you were in love with didn't even seem to re alize you were female, let alone that you had feelings towards him?

Diana knew exactly what she was going to do, and Kal El wasn't going to like it one little bit!

Even as the thought entered her mind—with a determination that was unshakeable—a bel low of rage came from within the adjoining chamber, quickly followed by the man in her thoughts (and heart) himself exploding out of the room to cross to her desk with forceful strides.

Dinah, filling in as Deputy Leader of the JLA, had been in the middle of a conver sation with Diana, but she took one look at Superman's thunderous expression, suddenly remembered that she need to catch up on some admin stuff and disappeared quickly.

Diana's own manner was as casual as usual as she continued to look through the papers strewn across the large discussion table in the JLA's conference room. She shook her head quickly. 'If you had wanted to, you could not have chosen a more dramatic way of scaring everyone around, even your friends!,' Diana drawled in an amused voice, not at all perturbed herself by his ob vious bad temper—or the reason for it.

Superman scowled. 'I don't give a damn about Dinah or anyone else's nerves.'

'That's unlike you,' Diana bit out tautly, her eyes flashing with anger, coloured a deep smoky grey by the emotion. 'You usually don't have this "don't give a damn about anyone else's feelings". What's changed?'

Superman's mouth tightened: a finely chis eled mouth that looked too perfect to firm with temper or thin with displeasure. Diana had seen that mouth curve up into a smile so warm that the very sun was put to shame, had seen that mouth firm into a hard thin line that made tough opponents wince — and yet Diana knew that whatever was troubling Kal now, was going to get much worse.

'What do you call this?' He waved a piece of monogrammed paper in front of her nose.

Diana didn't flinch, coolly raising black brows at the object that so offended him. 'Well,' she said with a casual lack of interest, 'I don't know what you call it, but it looks de cidedly like a letter to me.' She looked at him challengingly.

His harshly indrawn breath showed he wasn't in the least amused by her levity at his expense. But at this precise moment Diana didn't par ticularly care what he felt. Maybe she would later—she was sure she would later!—but right now she was only concerned with showing him _she _didn't give a damn.

Which was a complete fabrication. She had been fascinated about Superman from that very first meeting with him years ago, had loved him almost from the day she came to know him, caring for him deeply as she interacted with him more and more.

He had confessed to being equally enamored of her at that time, had even stolen a quick and deep kiss, which she had been totally unprepared for, totally inexperienced, never having been with a man.

She had not been ready for a relationship with a man then, let alone a Superman, and she had asked him to go slow.

Superman had obviously lost interest after that, as he had never made another move or displayed the slightest feeling towards her.

And now, as she very well knew, Superman just did not see her that way. In his other life as Clark Kent, he was dating hot-shot reporter Lois Lane. Diana had even met Lois as Wonder Woman and had liked her. Lois, however, didn't know the depth of Clark's feelings for her. Lois, in fact, didn't care about anyone or anything, only about being successful in her career—which, with her gutsy, never-say-die attitude, she certainly was.

Any other women besides Lois were a non-event in his life, Kal not even seeming to see them most of the time. Which Diana had found, when she had been told on more than one occasion by other hopeful males, that she was beautiful enough to be a Princess (she was), could be very frustrating.

Perhaps if she didn't love him, if Superman wasn't not a great hero and didn't not look like a romantic hero himself, with his slightly overlong black hair, clear blue eyes, perfectly chiseled features, and tall, muscular body that his red and blue body suit showed off to perfection, it wouldn't have mattered quite so much what he thought—or rather, didn't think—of women or her, in particular.

But Superman had the sort of male good looks that could stop conversation in a room when he entered it, could have —and had had!— beautiful women pursuing him from all over the planet and several other planets too.

The former he seemed genuinely not to notice, and the latter he ignored as a childish— except that Diana knew some of the women had been perfectly in earnest!

To Clark and to Superman, social occasions were just a way to avoid doing what he really loved doing – helping people who needed it the most. And if Lois or Diana or any other woman went along with him on these occasions, he saw it as an extension of work. He could be so flattering to a woman's ego! Truth be told, Diana had never been seen on a social occasion with Clark, and meeting the President of USA or the Guardians of Oa as Wonder Woman and Superman hardly counted as social occasions.

And cynicism wasn't going to get her anywhere, she acknowledged truthfully.

Oh, she had tried more than once to deepen the conversation, or to show him how much she cared through her words or actions. Nothing she had done had got her anywhere with this Superman.

To him she was just a partner for battle, a companion and colleague in the League, and during missions, his preferred combat partner. She might just as well have _been _a man for all the notice he took of her. And now, in his position as leader of the JLA, he might as well be on another planet – he was constantly busy with League affairs, more than anyone of the other Leaguers.

Which brought her right back to the reason for his fury with her now.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO

'You requested to have time off for Christmas even though you knew it wasn't convenient or that you don't even celebrate it,' he said, his eyes glittering angrily.

"You even persuaded the League into letting you leave for Themyscira in the middle of our annual retreat, stating that your sister, Donna, needed you. And then,' he breathed deeply, 'after only one night away instead of the week you had insisted upon, you arrived back here to give me this!' He slapped the letter angrily against the palm of his other hand.

'Let's just get the facts straight, shall we?' She straightened, her gaze unflinching—one thing: he had never managed to intimidate her, as he sometimes, unintentionally did to the other Leaguers. With the exception of perhaps, the Batman, which no one and nothing seemed to faze. And Superman wasn't about to start intimidating her now!

'It never seems to be convenient with you if I take a holiday, let alone want to spend a few days with my family. I do want a few days off, and I deserve it. And even though I know that you and Bruce feel that because we are the three strongest members of the team, we need to be always on call, I feel that I need time off to just renew myself." Her voice softened, 'Please, Kal, try and understand. I need to be alone, to introspect, to be with myself, to renew and to regenerate. And I can only do that on Themyscira. I need this time away from everyone.'

Superman's jaw was clenched tightly at her words. 'I don't think—'

'All right, then, maybe it's just my wanting a holiday with my family that you find so difficult to accept,' she snapped irritably.

'You took your holiday, two days early, no matter what my feelings were,' he scowled. 'So what's the problem?'

'I haven't got to that yet,' she grated, eyes narrowed angrily. 'Secondly,' she said pointedly, 'I did not persuade you or the League into letting me take off during the annual retreat, you _offered. _Thirdly,' she continued determinedly as he would have in terrupted, 'I went to Themyscira so suddenly _not _because of a trivial whim, which is what you seem to be implying, but because of an emergency!'

'An emergency that is obviously over now, or you wouldn't be back here,' said Superman impatiently. 'So I still don't see what the problem is.'

Oh, yes, the emergency was definitely over now. Diana smiled to herself as she thought of the ecstatic telephone call she had received from her friend Io, late the previous evening telling her of the success of the new parliament that Diana had helped to set up on the island. It could so easily have worked out unhappily for all concerned.

Donna, her sister, had been there too, and the sisters had spent time catching up on each other's lives. Donna had found love with Terry Long and was planning her wedding. But the joy Donna and Terry had un doubtedly found in each other had only strengthened her own resolve where Superman was concerned, which was why she had come into the office at all today.

'Fourthly,' she told him firmly, 'I gave you that—' she indicated the letter he crushed so savagely in his hand '—because I no longer want to continue as a JLA member.'

He drew in a harsh breath. 'Just like that?' He was outraged.

No, not just like that. She no more wanted to leave than he seemed to want her to go. But their reasons for that were completely dif ferent. She because just being close to him had to be better than nothing; he because, as they both knew, he didn't want to lose the best combat partner he had ever had.

But, after years of believing that being close to him was better than nothing, Diana knew that was no longer true.

She loved him, would always love him, but she was wiser now than she had been when she had first left the island. If she wanted to make any sort of life for herself she knew she would have to make the break now. Had known it, and had difficulty accepting it, for some time.

She shrugged noncommittally, continuing to look around the conference room, the scene of so many battle plans and strategies. She would miss it.

'I think it's time for a change, and I will be available to the League as a reserve member, just not a full time one. I need to do-

'To do what?' he interrupted, crushing even more the letter of resignation that had been the start of his fury.

'Maybe I'll focus on my efforts as my nation's ambassador to this world, build up the centers that we've opened for the women, work more closely with human rights activists,' she shrugged after a moment's thought. She smiled mischievously, and continued in a lighter vein, 'Maybe even take up modeling, everyone seems to believe I have the face and figure for it.'

'Modeling? You would be bored out of your mind within a week!' Superman dismissed quickly, making no comment about what 'everyone believed' concerning her looks and conveniently ignoring the other more noble tasks that she had set for herself.

'As long as that?' she returned consider ingly, her head tilted to one side, her hair black and silkily curling to her shoulders, 'Maybe I should give an agency a ring.'

'Diana—'

'Yes, Kal?' she prompted smoothly, knowing that her own coolness in the face of his agitation was adding to his frustration with a situation that seemed out of his control; Superman liked to be in control at all times. Indeed, with his awesome powers, he needed to be in control at all times. He was like Bruce that way, Bruce hated to relinquish control and Kal needed to be in control.

Just now, Kal was glowering at her. 'If there's some sort of problem between us, couldn't you at least have come to me and talked about it instead of just leaving this on my desk for me to find when I went through my mail? 'Once again he slapped the crumpled paper against the palm of his hand.

'But there is no problem,' she told him dismissively. 'And where else would you have liked me to leave my letter of resignation? It wouldn't have done a lot of good sitting on _my _desk, now, would it?' she chided reasoningly.

His eyes narrowed warningly at her con tinued flippancy. 'I would rather you hadn't left the damned thing anywhere.'

'But then you wouldn't have known I was leaving,' she pointed out practically, picking up the some artifacts from Egypt that she had been studying, in the hopes of giving the Bana-Mighdall some historical facts about themselves, and looking around for a box to pack them up in.

'Will you stop being so damned un caring?' Superman exploded once again.

This show of temper was unusual in itself, Superman was known to be cool and calm in the toughest of situations. To Diana, these occasional lapses of temper just showed he was human after all!

'Oh, lighten up, Kal,' she advised him impatiently. '"It's Christmas Eve, and all's right with the world,"' she quoted drily.

'Not _my _world,' he rasped. 'God, Diana, no one gives immediate notice! At the very least, I thought that you would have at least had talked to me about it.'

She was aware of that; she also knew that her having written a letter, of giving immediate notice, of her insistence on leaving the League was because she had hoped to avoid actually meeting Kal face to face. She had really wanted to be gone by the time he was back from his own Christmas holiday with the Kents and Lois. Deep down she knew that Kal would have been hurt by her refusal to meet him and discuss her reasons for leaving with him. How could she ever tell him that she loved him? Never to hear him say that he loved her back?

So she had made her decision to make the break and, having done so, she didn't want to be anywhere near Superman, where her resolve could so easily be weakened, until she felt strong enough to cope with seeing him again. Maybe in a hundred years or so!

'When we signed on to the League, we signed a pledge and a contract, Diana,' he reminded her now. 'It states that there should be three months' notice on either side. If you go ahead with leaving immediately, it would be a breach of that contract. I don't think I want to take the next step, of telling J'onn, Wally, Dinah, Bruce, Ray and all the others that you bailed out, you know that will get them to cut you off.'

She winced, knowing that if he got angry enough he was as likely to do just that. 'At Christmas?' She shook her head disgustedly. 'I always wondered what symbol "S" stood for on your chest, and now I think I know: Scrooge could have taken lessons from you!'

Red colour stained his cheeks. 'I've always been fair with you—'

'Of course you have,' she cut in scornfully. 'And so have the others in the League. That's why I've never taken a break, never had holidays for the last eight years! Always on call, always on duty.'

His mouth tightened. 'You've never objected.'

'And its taken its toll on me, Kal' she snapped scathingly. 'Oh, I'll admit I never complained, and I always did what was expected of me, but I was trained as a warrior and warriors don't complain. And then, it didn't really matter because we don't have a tradition of celebrating Christmas or any other major festival, except for the Night of the Hunter's Moon. And even that I've missed on more than one occasion. This year, its different. Hippolyta has adopted the festival of Christmas and has declared that Themyscira celebrate it to coincide with the new parliament that's been set up. I can use the time to focus on Themysciran issues and help out on the island. And I do need the rest. At the rate I'm going I'll be too exhausted to do anything very soon and will just collapse. I don't want to be too tired to live a life of love and fulfillment.'

'Like me, you mean?' He met her gaze challengingly, his eyes as hard as sapphires.

'Not at all,' she returned coolly. 'You'll never be burnt out; you thrive on this sort of life.'

How is that he never really needed a woman? Superman had far more women hinting at their availability than any man could dream of, yet in actual fact, she knew that he had no one to share his life with. Yes, he was dating Lois, but it was Diana who was privy to his inner most thoughts, had seen both sides of the man – the Superman he was and the more human man he claimed to be. It was Diana who had protected him in battle and comforted him after. Yet, he seemed oblivious to it all – almost as if she was just another part of the furniture.

Perhaps, if he actually seemed to go out and enjoy himself, every now and then, Diana could accept the way he was, but, apart from his job at the Daily Planet, he spent very little time on himself; not for him the playboy lifestyle his powers could have afforded.

Not that Diana relished the idea of his be having in that cavalier fashion, but the way he forged forward, giving more and more of himself to people, forgetting about others who cared about him, putting the needy first, seemed to her to stem more from a com pulsion than from any real enjoyment in the act.

His mouth firmed as he continued the conversation. 'But apparently it no longer appeals to you?'

'No,' she confirmed flatly.

He looked for a moment as if he would like nothing more than to be alone with her in the training room, maybe indulge in some hard physical sparring, al though as usual he managed to keep himself under control.

'Even so,' he bit out, 'you must see that you have to honor the three months' notice in the contract you signed when you joined on to the JLA. It's only fair'

Her brows quirked. 'The same way that my own share of the contract has been honoured? The weeks' holidays I was supposed to have had each year, stated in that very same contract? Which every member of the League has taken, except for me?' she reminded him without malice. 'I'll tell you what, Kal, you forget about the three months' notice you say I owe the League, and I'll forget all those weeks' holiday that the League owes me. And you'll still come out very much a winner!'

His expression was grim as he looked down into her calm but determined face. 'I'm be ginning to realize we made a mistake in giving you a duty roster that made you work so hard all these years,' he said slowly. 'You're obviously very much in need of a holiday; you seem to be suffering from a form of nervous exhaustion.'

'Because I handed in my resignation?' She smiled, her expression sad. 'You really don't know me very well at all, do you, Superman?' she added with sad stoicism.

'Of course I know you, Diana,' he rasped. 'I've spent almost every waking moment with you for the last few years!'

More than a lot of married couples, in fact, and yet Diana knew she was still far from knowing the real man that was Superman. Oh, she knew the basic things, such as his liking to be on her right side for battle, the way he scanned the environment first before he allowed her to enter the scene, the way he tucked his cape into his shoulders, that he preferred to drink milk instead of black coffee for breakfast, the fact that he liked to read _The Daily Planet _no matter what part of the world they happened to be in at the time. She was very familiar with all of his likes and dislikes in food, knew that he hated the farce of violence on the television, that he preferred to sleep rather than go to the opera; and she also knew that alcohol was something he rarely indulged in. On a day-to-day basis she probably knew as much, if not more, than the average wife who'd known her husband the same number of years. And yet Superman's real emotions he kept very low-key, and his life was a closed book.

Superman knew about her in just as much detail, but he was no more privileged with the in formation than any of the others, he knew she was a Princess, the heir to the throne of Themyscira, that she had a sister called Donna, with a whole family of Amazon sisters on the island of Themyscira; and he also knew about her life before the two of them had met.

As for her emotions towards him, he didn't seem to want to know about them!

'So you have,' she accepted lightly. 'Then you should know me well enough by now to realize that I haven't resigned lightly, without giving the whole thing serious thought.'

'Of course I realize that,' he grated tautly. 'Which is why I think it would be a good idea if you took the next week off, after all—two weeks, if you would prefer,' he amended hastily at her derisive expression. 'Take the time to rest yourself, to rethink your decision.'

'Two whole weeks, Kal?' Diana taunted. 'Are you sure you can spare them?'

'It has to be better than having you leave for good,' he rasped irritably.

Once again she smiled. 'Two weeks wouldn't be long enough.' She shook her head.

'Then take three weeks, a month. Think about it, Diana,' he scowled. 'Talk to me about this decision!'

Now he wanted to talk to her. Although she didn't delude herself into thinking he wanted to talk about anything other than persuading her into continuing to work for the JLA.

'My letter of resignation says it all, Kal,' She shrugged dismissively, looking around to see if there was anything she had forgotten, before moving across the room to the window-ledge where she had slowly nurtured Themysciran plants over the years into healthy adult plants; to leave them behind now would be like leaving part of herself behind. And she intended no part of her to remain here once she had physically left.

Superman followed her, and although Diana didn't acknowledge his presence next to her as she filled a box with the plants, she could feel his nervous energy.

'You say you want to move on to something different,' he quoted impatiently. 'But why? You know you love this job!'

The statement had nothing to do with egotism; she had never made any secret of her enjoyment of the work she did for the JLA and the closeness of working with Kal, which she had loved from the very first moment, and she would only be fooling herself if she didn't admit she was going to miss the constant excitement the work involved.

But her ragged and bruised emotions knew best, re alized when it was time to admit defeat in the face of indifference, and move on. Which was exactly what she intended doing.

Besides—and this was something Superman would never understand—it had never been just a job to her; it had been the only sort of part nership she could ever have with him.

'So I'll learn to love a new job,' she told him with confident bravado, looking out of the window at the greying sky. 'It looks full of snow,' she murmured to herself.

'You were born a Princess, you won the right to be Wonder Woman,' Superman said frustratedly in the face of her ob viously wandering attention. 'Why would you want to give it up now?'

His eyes were nar rowed to sapphire slits.

She laughed softly at the question. 'I'm not giving up being Wonder Woman, Kal. But my name is Diana, and I need to take the time to find myself again.'

'So take the time off, but come back,' he snapped. 'Just think about it, what will the League do without you?'

'Thanks, but no, thanks,' she refused without the slightest hesitation, glancing up at the sky again; if only it didn't look that awful white-grey color that often preceded snow! 'Just hold off another five or six hours,' she requested of it pleadingly, turning with the box in her arms to knock Superman full in the chest where he stood so close to her. 'Sorry,' she grimaced, stepping aside to make sure she missed him this time.

'But think about it, what do I tell the others? Diana—'

'I don't know, Kal. Tell them the truth. Tell them that I needed some time off,' she said without turning. 'I know that they will understand. As I have, each time you or anyone else has needed to take a break.'

'Then—'

'I don't really want to talk about it any more, just now,' she stated firmly, glancing worriedly at her watch; the day was quickly moving on, and she still had a lot to do.

'Am I keeping you?' Superman demanded ir ritably as he saw that glance.

Diana looked up at him, answering him calmly, 'As a matter of fact, yes.'


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE

'Those mutterings about snow and hoping it will hold off for five or six hours don't mean that you're thinking of going straight to Themyscira today, do they?'

He looked disbelieving. Superman knew that Wonder Woman did not really like the cold weather. She was tough, tougher than almost anyone else he knew, but she still hated the cold.

Considering that she had flown down there, in the bitter cold of the night two days ago, and then back again yesterday evening, Superman could be forgiven for looking at her as if she must have taken leave of her senses.

Diana knew that Superman knew that though she could withstand extreme cold and heat, she was not invulnerable like him, and she really, really hated the cold.

But she had had very good reasons for making both those un scheduled journeys, and if she felt that Superman would ever be interested in the reasons, she might have been tempted to confide them to him.

As things had turned out she had more reason than ever for wanting to be back among her family for Christmas. She knew the special emphasis that this world placed upon this festival and this season, and she knew that it was a time to celebrate family ties.

She certainly intended to be there with her family, with them all when Donna and Terry cel ebrated their engagement; those two, more than anyone else she knew, deserved happiness, and she was thrilled that they had found it together. Hippolyta, her mother, had promised, this year, when declaring Christmas on Themysicra to adopt all the traditions of the festival. Paradise Island would celebrate Christmas on Themyscira for twelve days. A Christmas tree, wreaths, gift giving…Hippolyta was doing everything! Diana certainly did not intend to miss it. The very first Christmas Themyscira would have. She had even thought long and hard on what her gifts would be.

'And if it does?' she challenged.

'Then I no longer just _think _that you've been working you too hard, I _know _that you have,' he re turned grimly. 'You must know as well as I do that the long-term weather forecast is snow, snow, and more snow. You would have to be insane to go out into that again and especially to Themyscira!'

She raised black brows. 'I don't think I'm in the frame of mind to listen to you right now.'

Blue eyes flashed. 'I'm just offering you sound common sense.'

'Kal, you never _offer _advice,' she mocked lightly.

He stiffened, very tall and handsome in his light blue and red costume, his cape flowing around him. 'Meaning?'

'Meaning that I intend going back to Themyscira today, no matter what the weather forecast, no matter what you have to say about it—'

'No matter what anyone says, by your reckless attitude,' he bit out tersely. 'When did you get to be so stubborn?'

'Oh, I've always been pretty determined,' she dismissed casually. 'You've just never taken the time to notice before now.' As he hadn't no ticed a lot of other things about her!

Like the very fact that she loved him madly, passionately—futilely.

There had never even been the faintest flicker of awareness on his part of her as a woman. It was all so—depressing.

But she wasn't about to let him see _that _emotion, today of all days. He might just mis interpret the reason behind that depression. Oh, she was upset at the thought of no longer working so closely next to him, but it was the thought of leaving Kal as a person that was upsetting her more—the fact that her love for him had always gone by completely unrecognized by him.

Not that she wanted him to see her like some fawning idiot, either, with no hope of having him return her love. That was the trouble with loving Superman; she couldn't ever come out the winner.

Which was why she had to go.

Now, before the flippant façade she had constructed over what she had just done cracked a mile wide and left her emotionally broken…

'Diana—'

'I have to go, Kal,' she told him lightly, doing her best to shut out that huskily per suasive voice; if Superman chose to put his mind to it he could charm the birds out of the trees. He just didn't feel so inclined most of the time and, even when he did, there was always a crisis looming that put that thought firmly out of his head.

The snow isn't going to hold off forever,' she told him brightly, shaking back her hair as she picked up the box again in readiness for leaving. 'I guess I'll have to forgo the usual leaving party,' she added self-derisively; she had never envisaged leaving Superman in quite these circumstances. She had never envisaged leaving him at all!

His expression darkened even more, almost black brows low over his eyes.

Diana wished she hadn't looked at those eyes. They were incredibly beautiful eyes for a man, deep, clear pools of sapphire blue, surrounded by the thickest black lashes she had ever seen.

Diana did not come from a sentimental people. She had never ever grown up with dreams of marriage and a baby. In fact, thoughts like that had never even crossed her mind when she had left Themyscira. But she had spent in enough time in this world, away from her sisters, and she had seen the closeness that men and women could enjoy in a relationship. She had seen Ollie and Dinah and more recently Donna and Terry, had even seen been attracted to the pure love that Trevor Barnes had been as a wonderful human, but had rarely thought beyond that. With Kal, it had been different. He seemed to call to her very essence, seemed to awaken emotions within her that she did not know she had. And she had begun to have the strangest of dreams.

Oh, the dreams she had once had of one day holding a baby of her own in her arms with Kal's eyes…

She swayed slightly, her lids closed over the emotions that displayed so well there. How foolish were her dreams!

'Forget the leaving party.' The rasp of Superman's voice steadied her, and she met his gaze calmly. 'You're too tired to fly all that way again today; you're almost asleep on your feet!'

If she was honest, she _didn't _relish the journey for a third time in as many days, but there was no way she was going to miss being with her mother and sisters for the festive season for the first time in years.

Where had she and Superman spent Christmas last year? Oh, yes, on Apokolips, and had returned just in time to get the last few hours before Christmas Day had passed. And the year before that they had been at another crisis, with the JLA-ers, in Metropolis. And the year before that… Oh, what was the use of dwelling in the past? _This _Christmas she intended being surrounded by the warmth of her family, by people giving and receiving gifts in love and friendship.

She quickly banished from her mind the image she suddenly had of Superman showering his love and attention on Lois, of Clark and Lois together, over a romantic candle-light dinner.

'It's Christmas Eve,' she said again brightly. 'The thought of spending Christmas with the family will be enough to keep me awake and alert. Oh, I forgot to tell you—' her eyes glowed with pleasure '—Terry is there, too.'

Superman frowned. 'You mean Terry Long?'

'Mm.' She smiled confirmation. 'Do you know that my sister will be marrying him?'

'No, I don't believe you told me,' Superman nodded abruptly. 'But I also thought he wasn't—into family occasions?'

'Oh, all that's changed.' Diana laughed happily at the thought of how loving Donna had changed Terry's life. 'And Cassie will be joining us too. It promises to be a won derful Christmas with all the family together again at last.'

Superman turned away to gaze out of the porthole of the JLA satellite at the moon's bleakness. 'Then I'd better not keep you any longer.'

It should have been her turn to say, 'Just like that?' No matter what she had said in the last few minutes, Diana couldn't believe this was really goodbye. But she knew that it had to be, and the uncompromising set of Superman's shoulders beneath the body-hugging suit didn't encourage her to say the actual words to him.

She took one last lingering look at the room and the man before rushing out of the door.

How she managed to say goodbye to Dinah and the few other JLA-ers around, she didn't know; her throat was aching with the effort of holding back the tears by the time she got into the teleportation tube, and was deposited in her apartment.

She just wanted to get away, pausing only long enough to change into a fresh costume for the journey ahead of her and pick up the box of gifts that she had brought. The last thing she wanted was to be alone in her apartment any longer than she had to be.

Which was why she muttered and mumbled to herself as the doorbell rang just as she was bending down to pick up the mail. It was probably the janitor calling for his Christmas tip!

She stared dazedly up at Superman as he stood outside her door, no longer the handsome hero the world recognized, but the mild-mannered reporter, Clark Kent, looking just as devastatingly attractive in fitted black trousers and a thick Aran sweater worn beneath a black leather jacket.

Having resigned herself to the possibility of perhaps never seeing him again, Diana could only stare at him in stunned surprise.

'As you're so adamant about going down to Themyscira again today,' he told her in measured tones, 'I've decided to accompany you.'


	4. Chapter 4

Diana forgot about how devastated she had been such a short time ago at the thought of not seeing Superman again, completely forgot her joy of a few moments ago when she had opened her door and found him standing there, too.

All she could think of at the moment was the _typical _male arrogance!

She made no effort to open her apartment door wider or invite him to come in. 'Isn't it usual to ask?' she snapped tautly, controlling her anger with great difficulty.

Superman shrugged dismissively. 'I knew you never would.'

Her eyes widened incredulously. 'I wasn't talking about me!' she gasped.

His eyes narrowed, and he walked past her into the apartment with easy familiarity, de spite Diana's unwelcoming attitude. 'Why would I need to ask to fly down with you to Themyscira?' he said with genuine amazement. 'I'm the one doing you a favour.'

Diana had followed him agitatedly into the elegantly furnished lounge. 'You can take your favour and—'

'I've already spoken to your mother, and she agrees with me—'

'You've contacted Hippolyta?' she gasped again, her eyes even wider than before.

Superman gave an arrogant inclination of his head. 'Actually, during the course of the con versation she invited me to spend Christmas with you and the family,' he revealed distantly.

Hippolyta would. Her mother was one of the kindest, most warm-hearted, most gen erous people she had ever known, and she would have thought that Superman was spending this festive family season alone and that would easily move her to make the invitation to Superman. And she would have meant it sincerely, too.

Goodness knew, Superman was far from being a stranger to Hippolyta and Donna and the other Amazons; even though they had met him on a few occasions, Diana had talked about him often enough!

And she hadn't yet had an opportunity to tell Hippolyta and her mother that she was no longer part of the JLA.

She eyed him warily across the room. 'And what was your answer?'

His mouth twisted mockingly. 'Don't worry, I don't willingly go where I know I'm not wanted.'

'Oh, but I'm sure my mother—'

'I wasn't talking about your mother,' he drawled dismissively.

Her cheeks burned with heated colour. 'It has nothing to do with me whom Queen Hippolyta chooses to invite to Themyscira and into her home,' she told him stiltedly.

'Nevertheless,' Superman's mouth firmed, 'despite your mother's kind invi tation—which, incidentally, I'm sure was genuine—I have no intention of intruding upon the Christmas family scene that means so much to you.'

Considering that Superman loved Christmas, looked forward to spending it with Ma and Pa Kent, every year, Diana couldn't imagine that he had not seriously considered the invitation.

'Don't you have to go home to Smallville for Christmas? Or don't you want to spend it with Lois? All the more reason for you not to fly down with me to Themyscira,' she dismissed.

'Lois is away in Copenhagen, covering the Climate Change Meet of Nations and I can't be there as Clark. And I intended to spend New Year's with Ma and Pa as I had watch-duty. I don't have anything else to do.' He shrugged broad shoulders. 'And as we are both well aware—' his mouth twisted derisively '—the whole world grinds to a halt at Christmas.'

'That's never seemed to stop any crises before,' Diana recalled drily.

He shrugged. 'This year, I've left it all to Dinah, who is a capable Deputy Leader. She's happy to do the watch-duty with Ollie and that will give them the privacy they seem to want. I'd like to take one of our valuable players home safely. I don't know when I will find another combat partner so attuned to my own style and thoughts. And a few hours' notice isn't time enough for me to be able to train up another one,' he added.

She didn't even blink at his words. 'I have no wish to talk about work.'

'Neither have I,' he drawled, glancing out of the window of her flat. 'Snow looks imminent, so if you want to leave…'

'I'll go when I'm ready.' She spoke with more stubbornness than good sense, because snow _did _look imminent.

'Strange.' Superman looked at her consider ingly, just as if he were viewing a somewhat wayward child in his presence. 'I never con sidered you an impetuous person until today.'

Possibly because today was the first time he had seen her as even being halfway woman, rather than just an extension of the JLA or an Amazon Princess!

Diana wanted him to just disappear, but it looked like he was not going to do that. How could she refuse his accompanying her now without looking absolutely stupid and childish? Es pecially when she was well aware of the fact that she couldn't possibly be upsetting any of his own plans for Christmas.

'I'm still not prepared to talk about my res ignation,' she told him firmly.

The grimness relaxed slightly about his mouth, as if he was well aware that a victory of one kind was imminent. 'I've already said I don't want to talk about it either. But if at some time during the journey you _should _decide you would like to discuss it—'

'I won't,' she insisted abruptly. 'It's a fact, irreversible, un—'

'I think I get the message, Diana,' he drawled at her vehemence.

'In that case, what's in this for you?' She raised mocking brows.

'Nasty, Diana,' he said. 'Very nasty.'

'Educated,' she corrected drily.

His mouth quirked in a facsimile of a smile. 'You and I worked well together because we understood each other. You know me better than I know myself most of the time. And, knowing me as you do, you're right: I'm not going to give up hoping you'll change your mind.'

She met his gaze challengingly. 'In that case, we had better get going, hadn't we?'

Superman showed no surprise at her decision to accept his help after all, glancing across at the box that stood ready in the hallway. 'Is that all you're taking with you?'

She might have realized he had known from the onset that he would have his own way! Super-human, Super-dictatorial, Super-self-assured -! 'Yes,' she bit out tightly.

'Just a polite query,' he murmured toler antly at her defensive attitude. 'No criticism intended.'

Diana watched him with troubled eyes as he crossed the room to pick up the box. A few hours flying alone with him, in the circumstances; she had to be insane.

She muttered to herself as she checked her apartment one last time and prepared herself to follow him out of the flat. He had already done that faster-than-light turn of his and changed into his costume and her eyes followed him appreciatively.

God knew what this was going to be like, and yet in a strangely masochistic way she was actually looking forward to it!


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER FIVE

They flew together. Superman holding onto Diana's box, his attention was all grimly on what was ahead of them, in the fast falling snow. Diana, followed him, free to gaze at him to her heart's content without fear of his noticing what she was doing. Just to look at him made her heart beat faster. His profile was so strong and handsome. He—

Dear lord, they weren't even out of earth's first atmospheric layer yet, and already she was thinking about him. She was going to be a wreck by the time they reached Themyscira!

Superman had always had the power to affect her this way, but usually during the time they spent together she didn't have a moment to think, let alone allow her emotions for him to have free rein. But now there was no work to distract either of them…

'I never realized Christmas was important to you,' Superman spoke suddenly in the strange stillness of late morning.

Diana gave him a startled glance. 'You never asked.'

'More criticism?' He frowned darkly.

'Certainly not,' she answered truthfully. 'Why should a colleague be interested in another colleague's personal likes and dislikes?' And, as her pained heart knew, the two of them had certainly never crossed over that finely drawn line.

Superman drew in a harsh breath. 'I thought we were at least—friends.'

Now it was Diana's turn to frown. Kal didn't have what she would have classed actual friends. He had a lot of acquaintances, but no one who was really close to him. And she had always believed he preferred it that way. Bruce and she were closer to him than any of the others, but he was still reserved with them. They were close companions and could count on each other in times of need, but their friendship was only nascent at best.

'Don't look so stunned, Diana,' he drawled self-derisively. 'My obvious misapprehension doesn't bind you to anything.'

Friends? Kal and she? If they were, it wasn't the sort of friendship she was used to— nothing at all like the friendship she had shared with Io for so many years. With Io, it didn't matter how long it had been since the two of them had last seen each other; they would instantly fall into a warm conversation as if it had been yesterday, talking about any thing and nothing, whatever the two of them wished. She and Kal had never talked like that together.

And yet she could see she had offended Kal by her skepticism, and she wished there were some way she could undo her sur prise at his assumption. It was the first time she had ever heard Superman presume such a friendship existed between them, and now it looked as if she was throwing it back in his face!

'I've always hoped we were,' she returned non-committally.

But she had always believed that friends confided things to each other. Oh, she knew all the public facts of his persona and some little known ones, too. About the Kents, about his life in Smallville, about his Kryptonian heritage. But apart from the few brief glimpses he had given her himself, she knew little or nothing about his feelings, his thoughts.

Anyone could find out that Clark Kent came from a farm in Kansas, that his parents still lived there, that he was dating Lois Lane, his close friend was Jimmy Olsen. A select few knew about Jor-El and Lara, about Krypton and its culture, and those few had been privy to the secrets of the Fortress of Solitude.

Diana knew that Superman never went out with women, but that Clark Kent had a soft corner for Lois, and she knew next to nothing about Kal. She sighed. A friend would not be so complex – three different personalities, three different lives and memories, three different cultures, three…

And if he really regarded her as a friend he would have felt able to confide at least part of his feelings in dealing with these complex issues and what drove him. He rarely showed her his vulnerable emotional side, but she knew it existed. Just as she knew that he was the man she loved.

At the same time, she knew that he had feelings buried inside him, feelings that were too deep for him to share with anyone. She knew that instinctively, not from anything he had ever said or shown from his actions. There was evidence enough in the way he spoke or acted, that he did so from some deep conviction born of life-changing experiences.

The times that she had hoped and prayed he would open up to her! But all he had ever chosen to discuss with her was work-related. That was never likely to change now. And it had ob viously been enough for Superman all these years.

'As close as I've got to having one,' he echoed her thoughts, as if he had found it all too easy to read them.

He glanced at her. 'Why don't you settle down and have a sleep? I can just as easily carry you and fly, you know. And don't say you aren't tired,' he added softly as she went to protest. 'Because I know that you must be.'

Sleep, be carried in his arms? When she had this overwhelming surge of love for him? It would be the undoing of her. "I wouldn't be able to', she said simply.

He shrugged. 'Ok, but if you collapse, I'm certainly not going to petition the gods for your quick recovery! I have no great love for Olympus' He smiled to take the sting out of his words.

His sense of humor had drawn her to him, as much as his values and they way he lived by them, but what had attracted her most was his love for truth and justice. So close to her own love for the same values. Superman's sense of humor was evidenced by the occasional glitter of amusement in azure blue eyes! You needed to know him really well to know that he was joking.

'I'll wake you when we reach Themyscira,' he added drily.

She made a face at him, picturing the reaction of her mother and sisters when they saw Superman fly in, with their Princess in his arms. She received a mocking quirk of his mouth in response. She made a quick decision, following her heart and agreed to let him carry her. She was tired, she admitted it. The last encounter dealing with the major breakout from Arkham, just a few days ago, had exhausted her and other skirmishes that she had resolved had used up her reserves.

'Just make sure you wake me up before we reach Themyscira,' she warned as she settled down in Superman's strong arms, closing her eyes and wrapping her arms around the box.

'Yes, ma'am,' he drawled.

Diana opened one eye and looked at him. 'Try and remember that in future I'm no longer required to be restrained in my responses,' she said.

'I can't say I ever noticed you keeping silent in the past,' he mocked. 'Your honesty, brutal or otherwise, has always been one of the things I've most liked about you.'

He had never told her that he _did _like her. He had picked a hell of a time to decide to tell her he did! Oh she knew that he valued her opinion, and almost always took her advice, and he had said that on more than one occasion, but he had never admitted or stated anything like or love.

Not that it would have made any difference to her earlier decision. Liking wasn't loving, and she was no longer willing to settle for any thing less, especially the scraps Superman was able to give her.

Diana knew she had flared up at Donna about appreciating the value of love when it was offered to her; she couldn't then opt for anything less for herself.

She had a feeling Donna was well aware of her love for Kal, although, surprisingly, that was the one thing the two of them had never talked about. Donna was her sister, her best friend, but somehow Diana's love for Kal had always seemed too sensitive a subject to put into words, even to someone as close to her as Donna was. Maybe because Donna had guessed where things stood. The last thing Diana wanted was pity.

She chanced another glance at Superman be neath lowered lashes. He looked grim again. What was he thinking about as he flew? She had rarely been able to even guess at his thoughts, the facade he showed to the world always enigmatic, very guarded in revealing his emotions or his thoughts. Which was probably right, she mused now, anything that Superman voiced would be taken as God's own truth across the world. More than anyone else, Superman had to be careful not to take sides, not to voice opinions, not to be seen as partial to any cause. He had to help without getting involved.

Just now, he was probably thinking of something quite mundane—such as how insane the two of them must be to be undertaking this journey at all! It might have been nice, just for once, to im agine they were a little in tune with each other, especially to talk and share these deeper feelings. But, as she knew all too well, Kal-El was a past master at hiding his thoughts, and feelings, from everyone.

Although he had certainly shown some re action to her handing in her resignation, Diana acknowledged ruefully.

Though she certainly wasn't going to attempt to build any more hopeless dreams on _that._

She closed her eyes determinedly, wishing the journey—and this torture—over. Beyond this lay the warmth of Hippolyta and Cassie and her Amazon sisters and their home, the wonder of Donna and Terry's love for each other.

She smiled at the thoughts, wishing herself there, longing for that enveloping warmth, not aware of the moment when the thoughts became a hazy dream and carried her off to sleep…

'Lunch, Diana.'

She and her family were seated about the brightly lit Christmas tree. Her daughter looked up at her with eyes just like her father's, who was now entering the room, carrying a silver tray of food. And he looked so right standing there, with such an warm expression of love on his face, so incredibly perfect, so—

'Diana, wake up.' A firm hand shook her shoulder.

She frowned at the irritation, trying unsuc cessfully to shake off the hand, only to have the action repeated, more vigorously this time. 'Go away,' she muttered impatiently.

'You always were bad-tempered when you woke up.' Superman was amused now.

Diana was frowning as she reluctantly opened her eyes, the wonderful dream having disappeared as if it had never been. As it hadn't. Dreams were an impossibility.

Superman was looking down at her in his arms, not the smiling, loving man in her dreams, but the careful colleague she was more used to.

'You've been asleep for quite some time, now and we've almost reached Themyscira. I need you awake before the sentinel falcons fly up,' he told her practically.

She moved stiffly, still frowning darkly as she straightened and then moved out of his arms in one quick, fluid motion. Superman had stopped mid-flight, a little away from the island. She could see the emerald isle, with its warm and welcoming lights.

'Stop complaining, when it was your sug gestion that I sleep,' she snapped moodily, wishing she had a mirror and doing her best to straighten her appearance before they got to the island. Her mother would take one look at her disheveled appearance, and Superman would spend Christmas in the cells beneath the island.

Superman smiled at her bad temper, shaking his head. 'Let's land at the island and get something to eat. Fussing over your appearance isn't going to do you a lot of good just now. And anyway, you've never been fussy about your looks.'

Did that mean Kal saw her as a slovenly woman, uncaring about her looks? He was wrong, she did not bother much because, thanks to the gifts of the gods, she never had had to bother.

She began to fly down to the island, calling out greetings to the sentinels as she came closer to the island.

The fresh air of Themyscira did a lot to revive her spirits; she had always loved the warm winds of the island.

Her mother and sisters had already formed a welcoming host and were awaiting her on the beach.

Horus, her favorite falcon flew up to meet Diana, his enthusiasm causing her to fly straight into him, and she stumbled mid-flight.

'Steady.' Superman's hand was instantly under her elbow as he steadied her, easily sup porting her weight beside him. 'Perhaps you'd better hold on to me.' He put her hand in the crook of his arm and held it there. Horus immediately squawked angrily at him and attempted to nip Superman's fingers. Afraid that the magical bird would actually harm Kal, Diana, soothed and calmed Horus, till he was peaceful in her arms.

Superman still had not let go of her.

During the whole time they had fought together, had undergone missions together, Superman had rarely had a need to touch her, and having his hand against hers now gave her shivers in spite of the warmth of the island. Yet, Diana suddenly felt too warm for comfort.

"Hola, mother!,' Diana cried out as she turned her attention to her mother, whose eagle eyes had not missed a thing. Indeed, Hippolyta was frowning now as she saw the closeness and casual familiarity with which Superman was treating her daughter. Full of misgivings, she gave permission for Superman to set foot on the island.


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER SIX

In anticipation of their Princess' return, Themyscira's beach was noisy and crowded, especially so as it was a declared feast day the next day and today, was Christmas Eve. Everyone was full of joy as they anticipated the holiday ahead. The success of the new parliament added to the bonhomie. Diana knew that the Amazons welcomed the change and the chance to govern themselves.

Her mother and sisters crowded around her, hugging her, kissing her, welcoming her with cries of joy all at once. Several started to talk to her at the same time. Laughing, Diana put up her hands. 'Just a minute,' and looking at Superman, she drew him forward to stand next to her. 'All of you know Superman, my colleague and partner of several missions. He is no stranger to Themyscira.'

Hippolyta came forward now, 'Welcome, Superman' she said, 'Friend of my daughter, and Friend of Themyscira.' And so saying, Hippolyta kissed Superman on either cheek.

Diana frowned, her mother was being too welcoming. Still, even as she turned away to meet Artemis, who had a knowing smirk on her face, her heart was happy that Kal had been welcomed so warmly by those who meant so much to her.

Much later, after they had eaten and were relaxing, the Amazons announced a show of skill and talent. As the Queen and her guests sat around in a circle, the Amazon warriors demonstrated their finest skills at martial arts. And then, daringly, Artemis stepped forward and bowing to Superman, invited him to a duel.

Diana winced as she glanced sideways at Superman, knowing from experience that he hated anything resembling a duel at the best of times. It was only the fact that he could lose his powers (under a red sun, effects of magic, kryptonite, etc) that had caused him to ask Bruce to spar and train with him. While she had faced combat with him, she herself had never actually faced him as an opponent in battle. He had always refused to train with her.

And here was Artemis, without any of Diana's powers asking the most powerful man in the world to spar with her. Highly skilled, highly trained as much as Diana herself, Artemis could not hope to hold her own against Superman. Whatever was Artemis thinking of? As Diana thought furiously of a way to get Artemis out of the situation, she was surprised to see Superman nod and rising, step out into the arena.

Artemis smiled mockingly and stepped backwards, offering Superman his choice of weapons. They began with battle axes, then onto spears, and maces, before reaching swords. Being evenly matched in skill, the battle was fierce, and though Diana sensed that Superman was holding back his full powers and strength, he seemed to be concentrating on Artemis moves. Each time the weapons touched a body, they shattered on impact, and a new type of weapon was chosen. Diana's eyes narrowed from the in tense concentration she had to exert to just keep following their moves.

As Diana watched them, she realized that Superman was unintentionally signaling his next move. Artemis was too well trained not to notice that and take advantage. Diana opened her mouth to warn Superman, when Artemis charged Superman suddenly, who instinctively turned sharply to avoid the head-on charge. The movement brought them closer to Diana, who was too taken up with the duel, to notice anything else.

There was a bumping and grinding noise at the same time, and a thud as Superman fell to the ground with Artemis on top of him and they both fell on top of Diana.

Diana was badly shaken for several minutes, breathless, trembling all over. As she stood up and dusted herself off, she helped Artemis to her feet. And then she re alized Superman hadn't made a sound since the fall. She turned slowly to look at him, almost afraid of what she might see. She blanched even more as she saw Superman was unconscious, a trickle of blood coming from one side of his mouth.

Oh Hera, Oh Athena, please let him be all right, Diana prayed as she desperately tried to rouse Superman. It had taken only seconds for her to quickly move out from under the bodies and to stand up. Artemis had done the same. Both had expected Superman to bounce up, invulnerable as he was. What they had forgotten was that Superman was vulnerable to magic. While the weapons shattered on impact, the whole island was magical and Superman had hit the ground head first, banging it pretty hard against the ground, hurting himself and opening up a head wound.

Hippolyta had already ordered that Superman be taken to the healing centre on the island for his wound to be tended. Diana watched mutely as the Amazons sprang into motion all over. As they gingerly tried to move him onto the stretcher, she realized that he had a lump on his forehead that seemed to be very large. And he was still unconscious.

Oh, Hera, was he seriously injured?

She followed the Amazon medical team into the healing centre and watched as they carefully checked all vital signs. While they gave him the all clear, the healers did not know why the purple ray would not work on Superman. It was Magala who had the bright idea of exposing Superman to the yellow sun's rays. Diana agreed, she had seen the near miraculous recuperative powers Superman's body under the light of the yellow sun in combat earlier. She knew that he drew his energy from the sun.

There was only one thing to do. Lifting up the unconscious Superman into her arms, she flew up, out of the Themysciran atmospheric layer and towards patriarch's world.

She could not fly out into space and close to the sun like Superman, but she was able to find a place on earth that had daylight. And then she simply cradled Superman in her arms and pulled him up against her as she buried her face against his hair. 'Oh, Kal, wake up.'

She trembled uncontrollably, tears falling unheeded down her cheeks. 'Please, Kal, wake up. Oh, Hera, what am I going to do? What am I going to _do?'_

'I don't like salt,' he murmured gruffly against her.

Diana moved back slightly to look down at him wonderingly. 'You're alive!'

But her elation was short-lived as she re alized he was also delirious; he had to be. It must be that bang on the head. Lord knew what damage it had done.

She stared into Superman's eyes. Were the pupils supposed to be dilated or not dilated if you were suffering from shock? And—

'What are you doing now?' he demanded ir ritably, straightening up and putting a tentative hand to his lip and chin, swearing profusely when the hand came away covered in blood.

'Checking your eyes,' Diana answered dis tractedly, still trying to remember whether his eyes should be dilated or not. 'And you shouldn't get excited in your condition,' she tried to soothe his temper as he angrily wiped the blood away with his cape.

'What condition?' he said, as flexed his shoulders experimentally, obviously satisfied with the result as he began to test his limbs.

'And you've chosen a fine time to decide to gaze into my eyes!'

He stood up and began to walk around in the sun, feeling the cells of his body begin to respond to the power of the yellow suns rays, to feel the energy coursing through him.

Diana scrambled after him.

'And _you _really should sit down! Who knows what damage you've done to yourself?' she fumed worriedly.

'The damage who's done?' He turned and looked at her. _'I _wasn't the one who charged me in what was supposed to be a friendly duel.'

Had she really been overjoyed a few mo ments ago when she'd realized he was still alive? Of course she had, but did he have to regain consciousness as the same single-minded, super-human—

'But laying the blame on anyone doesn't alter the fact that I am feeling a little weak. It will take some time before I am my full powers again.' Superman looked about them disapprovingly. He _seemed _lucid now—in fact he seemed more than lucid!—and yet he had been talking so strangely when he came around…

'I think the most important thing at the moment is to get you to a doctor, may be the Science Labs —'

'Doctor?' he repeated skeptically. 'I don't need to see a doctor for this little bump on the—'

'It isn't only the bump,' Diana cut in firmly. 'It's the bleeding from the mouth that worries me. Who knows what internal damage you've done? Your speech was completely disorien tated when you regained consciousness—'

'My dear Diana,' he interrupted with forceful impatience, 'the bleeding from the mouth can be explained by the fact that my tongue is hurting from the deep gash it has down the side of it where I bit into it on impact—_that's _the only internal damage I have. As for what I was saying when I regained con sciousness—if you remember, you were crying all over me, and it was your tears that were salty.'

Diana stared at him disbelievingly. She could not believe he was behaving in this uncharacteristic manner. He managed to make her concern sound childish and unnecessary. Great Hera, it _was _unnecessary; this man, this _Superman_ didn't need anyone's concern. And in future he wasn't going to get any from her!

'I'm so sorry,' she said with only thinly dis guised sarcasm. 'The next time, I'll just sit by and let you bleed to death!'

'There won't be any next time,' he rasped. 'Because in future _I'll _be more careful around an Amazon.'


	7. Chapter 7

Within another hour or so, Superman's body cells and the sun's rays had done their job and he was fully recovered. The wound in his mouth had closed, the bump on his head had gone down and he seemed to be more alert.

He made a few test flights and then pronounced himself fit saying, 'Lets return to Themyscira, I'll fly you there.'

On their return to the island, a much relieved Hippolyta greeted them with warm, open arms. Since Superman had obviously recovered, he was shown quickly to a chamber for the night, where there were fresh clothes laid out for him – robes and sandals.

Diana went off to her own bedroom where, after a quick wash, she fell asleep.

Diana entered the dining chamber the next morning – Christmas Day – she could see Kal already next to Hippolyta talking and laughing with her. She took a seat opposite them, and helped herself to some fruit.

'Diana!' came a glad cry from the doorway, causing her to turn sharply, just in time to see Donna hurrying across the room towards her.

'I am so delighted to see you again!' she choked as she reached Diana and the two of them fell into each other's arms.

Diana returned the hug, tears flooding her eyes at the relief of seeing her sister again. 'Terry and I were just talking about you.' Donna exclaimed. 'We refused to have Christmas until you were here, and I'm so glad you made it.' She laughed happily.

'Well, now I'm here,' Diana said emotionally.

She suddenly became aware of Superman standing just behind them, having stood up as soon as Donna entered the room. 'Donna, you know Superman, don't you?'

Donna had indeed met Superman on earlier occasions, but had never pictured her sister and him together. Right now Donna's eyes widened on Superman curiously, and Diana bit her lip to stop herself from smiling, able to read almost exactly what Donna must be thinking: this gorgeous man was the one Diana had claimed to be unaffected by!

'Its nice to have you here for Christmas,' Donna said warmly, holding out her hand, recovering well from the surprise she had just received. 'I had no idea-You see, when I learned that you had been injured last night and Diana had flown off with you, I didn't think that you two would be back today. I know how stubborn Diana can be,' she added with af fection. 'And so I was sure she wouldn't have come back until she was convinced that you were all right, Superman—'

'I would not have allowed her not to be here, Donna,' he put in quietly.

Donna gave him a devastating smile, a little too coyly for Diana's comfort. 'But I was sure Diana would be coming alone, I had no idea,' she repeated brightly, obviously thrilled by the way things had turned out. 'You really must accept our invitation to stay for a few days more, Superman'

'I—'

'Diana!' A jubilant Terry came bouncing into the room, earning a frown from Hippolyta as he ran in. Although with his usual innocence Terry remained unaware of the fact. 'Thank God you're all right!' He gave Diana a bear-hug. 'You had us worried, Princess,' he told her softly.

'I hope I haven't ruined your Christmas,' she said gruffly, all this emotion starting to make her defences crumble.

'Of course you haven't.' His eyes twinkled merrily. 'We can have an even better Christmas now; we have so much more to celebrate and be grateful for now.'

'Terry, this is Superman,' Donna informed her fiancé pointedly.

He turned to the other man with narrowed-eyes, assessing him at a glance. 'Good to see you.' He held out his hand, obviously liking the other man. 'I had no idea—'

'We've already been through that bit once, darling,' Donna cut in affectionately.

'What say we finish breakfast and catch up on all the other things? I can see mother about to explode!'

Terry grinned at the other man as sat down at the table. 'I hope Diana hasn't given you too much trouble,' he teased, quirking a mocking brow at her.

She gave him a playful punch on the arm as she sat down next to him.

'Not too much, no,' Superman drawled, helping himself to some milk.

'Although you're right about Diana's stub bornness, Donna. I hadn't realized until re cently just how stubborn she can be.'

Diana glared at him, receiving an innocently questioning look back. As if he didn't know exactly what he was doing! 'I took lessons from an expert,' she returned sweetly.

'Really?' He arched dark brows. 'I can't think who!'

'Can't you?' she returned drily, knowing from the look that passed between Donna and Terry that they were enjoying the verbal ex change, probably reading a lot more into it than there actually was. Or ever could be.

'What are the plans for today?' She asked, wanting to change the subject, take the focus off Superman and herself, although she knew there would be questions from her sister later.

'Well, I intend to spend some time in the library poring over the historical texts. What do you ladies intend doing?' asked Terry. 'Are you kidding?' said Donna, 'Diana and I will indulge for a while in the saunas and catch up with each other. Say, Superman, why don't you join us in the saunas? There's a private enclosure that you can use, and Diana and I will use the one of the larger hot pools.'

"Ok,' he replied with alacrity. 'I don't mind relaxing a bit.'

Donna, firmly ensconced next to Diana, turned to grin at him. 'That's great, though give us a head start, then you can come in a little later'

Diana knew her sister had to be dying of curiosity about the relationship between her and Superman. Well, she would just have to remain curious, even once they had chance to talk privately; there was no way Diana could tell her sister just how close to Superman she hoped to become!

'Well?' Donna prompted softly as they en tered the warmth of the spa lounge.

'Hm?' Diana looked up with ques tioning innocence, shrugging off her robe to enter the heated pool.

The area was filled with the aroma of wood smoke, lavender and ashwagandha (a herb to induce relaxation).

Donna gave a rueful smile. 'Not going to tell me, hm?'

Diana closed her eyes and let the heat seep into her bones. 'There's nothing to tell.'

Donna winced pointedly. 'You make a terrible liar, Diana.'

Opening her eyes, she returned Donna's gaze steadily. 'Do I?'

'Hippolyta will want to know all the wicked de tails,' she warned with relish.

'_Hippolyta _might get to hear all the details.' She deliberately omitted the word 'wicked'.

'She'll tell me,' Donna challenged teasingly.

'Not if I ask her not to,' Diana answered with certainty.

Donna grimaced. 'True,' she sighed. 'That's a bit unfair. I don't suppose I could persuade it out of you?' she cajoled.

She smiled at her deceptive 'little girl' air. 'I don't suppose you could, just now. Maybe later.'

Donna pursed her lips thoughtfully. 'I seem to remember you were always very ticklish…!'

'No, Donna.' Diana backed away from Donna as she advanced on her threateningly. 'That wouldn't be fair!' she squeaked as she began to tickle her, squirming away from her.

'Women never play fair,' Donna grinned as her sister choked with laughter. 'Now, do tell,' she encouraged conspiratorially.

'No!' She fought ineffectually at the tor menting hands.

'Come on, Diana,' she persisted mercilessly. 'I want to know what—oh, hello, Superman' Donna glanced past Diana to the doorway where Superman was passing to the other enclosure. 'Just bringing a little sibling pressure to bear,' she ex plained in a mocking voice.

Diana had spun around as soon as Superman's name was mentioned, moving awkwardly as Superman watched them with narrowed blue eyes. She hadn't done any thing wrong, and yet the way he was looking at them made her feel somehow guilty!

'Indeed?' Superman made no move to enter the enclosure, giving the sisters their privacy, yet able to converse with them. 'Concerning what?'

Diana could feel the tension build, and she concentrated on the ceiling as a way of avoiding looking at either Donna or Kal. They were adults; whatever problem there was between them, they could work it out for themselves. She didn't need any more tension of her own.

Donna grinned mischievously. 'Concerning the two of you working together alone, on so many missions and so many occasions,' she challenged blatantly, making Diana gasp.

Superman didn't even glance in her direction, holding the Donna's gaze. 'We were only alone when necessary,' he said. 'And we were hardly there by choice!'

'Oh, I realise that,' taunted Donna, un abashed. 'But once you _were _there…'

Superman did give Diana a sharp look at that, although the expression on her face must have told him all he needed to know about her own reticence in discussing anything with him.

He turned back to the other Amazon. 'Once we were there,' he told Donna coolly, 'we were too busy worrying about rescuing people or battle strategy to think of anything else.'

'All the time?' the Donna derided. 'That sounds decidedly single-minded to me.'

'I am single-minded,' Superman said curtly, obviously seething with anger beneath the surface, his eyes glowing redly.

'Hm, so you are.' Donna looked disap pointed. 'I don't suppose—ah, there's Magala now, come to take you to the other enclosure.'

Together, the sisters watched Superman turn and enter the other enclosure.


	8. Chapter 8

'What an absolutely fascinating man,' Donna remarked thoughtfully.

Fascinating? Maybe Superman was that, but he was also puzzlingly enigmatic, if not down right unfathomable. From the way he had re acted when Donna had just queried him about their spending so much time alone, it seemed to be at odds with what he had already told her about being his preferred partner on missions. Indeed, Superman had been very clear, he did not want to spend time alone with her, he just saw it as an extension of his duty.

Diana was no more sure she could confide in Hippolyta about the last few days than she could earlier in Donna. It was all so raw and painful still that she didn't really want to talk about it. To anyone.

Her sister continued talking. 'From the little I know of Superman, I don't think anyone knows a lot more about him than he reveals. He gave me the impression that there weren't many people he's close to.'

Diana's face shadowed over as she paused in the act of stretching her muscles.

'No.' She sighed acknowledgement of that sad fact, returning to her stretching.

'But you love him.'

Diana gave her sister a startled look, not because it wasn't perfectly obvious to anyone who really knew her how she felt about Superman, but because it wasn't like Donna to be so blunt with her. Donna never intruded, had always been the best friend and sister anyone could ever hope for.

Donna made a face at her obvious surprise. 'Terry is already a terrible influence on me.'

Diana smiled. 'Oh, I wouldn't go that far.'

'Neither would I, really.' Her sister gave a coy smile. 'But I only had to take one look at you and Superman together,' she sobered, 'to realize how you felt about him. And besides the look on your face just now was very revealing, remember, I know you really well, sis!'

Diana sighed at the truth of that. 'And how do you think he feels about me?' she prompted, without any illusions.

Donna gave a rueful shrug. 'It's very difficult to tell. He certainly doesn't give much away by his behaviour.'

'Exactly!' She sank down heavily in the pool.

Donna moved to sit close to her. 'What _did _happen during the last couple of days?' she en couraged gently.

'Nothing! I just resigned from the JLA,' Diana said shakily, her eyes brimful with tears as she looked up at her sister. 'Does that make any sense to you?'

'I think so,' her sister said slowly, her face full of compassion.

'But Superman is not taking it well, I thought he would,' Diana choked. 'As far as he is concerned, he wants me to reconsider.'

'Are you sure?'

'Oh, yes,' Diana said emotionally.

'It's difficult with a man like that to tell what he feels,' Donna frowned.

Diana shook her head. 'Believe me, that— we have no real relationship, not like you and Terry. And as I no longer will be part of the League—'

'That's a new development, isn't it?' Donna looked concerned.

'Very,' she confirmed drily. 'Although it's been only two days.'

Donna looked more puzzled than ever. 'Then why did he—?'

'Don't ask.' Diana grimaced. 'I haven't been able to work out for myself yet why he should choose to speak to mother, invite himself here, fly down with me, let alone feel I can explain it to anyone else!'

'Hm. It's very curious, though,' Donna said with slow thoughtfulness.

'Don't read too much into it,' Diana dis missed disgustedly. 'It's strange but lately, Superman seems to be behaving in a typical male manner, a law unto himself and, if he chooses to do some thing, he doesn't believe anyone should question it.'

'I can tell that,' her sister said, still very thoughtful. 'But it is—curious.'

Diana shook her head. 'I wouldn't dwell on it too much. Over the years I've come to realize Superman is simply unfathomable.' She stood up, out of the pool, allowing the water to fall over her body. 'Now, let's finish off and find Terry before he gets too lonely and sends out a search-party,' she attempted to tease. 'I get the feeling he suffers from withdrawal symptoms if you're away from him for too long!'


	9. Chapter 9

"Go," Terry had said earlier. "Have a soak in the sauna." He pushed Superman toward the heated pools at the end of the Queen's Palace grounds, under the tented enclosure. A fire was lit within, and warm scented air spilled from under the closed door.

Perhaps, thought Superman, a hot soak would do him some good. At least it would help him clear his thoughts which were extremely confused since Diana had left her resignation letter for him.

As he had entered the sauna area, Donna had called out to him, and he had almost walked in when he realized that both she and Diana were using the sauna. That stopped him in his tracks. He had been tempted to walk fully in, to feast his eyes on Diana, to do what he really wanted to do. But he had managed to control his turbulent emotions and force himself to focus on what Donna was saying.

That has been a strange conversation about Diana and him being on mission alone together. How could he have admitted that he had arranged the duty – roster so that they would spend more time together? He knew that he had no chances with her, at all. But he was determined to get every opportunity to be alone with her. He had loved her more and more each day, having fallen in love with her from the very first instance. Had even kissed her that first time they met, so uncontrollable was his emotion. She had been unsure then, and he had sought to bide his time, patiently.

The patience was killing him.

Making him distance himself from her, forcing him to be harsh with her, to project an uncaring attitude; even though he wanted nothing more than to pull her close and whisper of his love into her ear. Her values, her thoughts, the way she stated her mind, her honour, her love for truth, her caring and generosity of spirit, he loved her so much He needed her to trust him, to love him back, to need him as he needed her. He wanted to spend a lifetime, several lifetimes with her. Though, no matter how strongly he felt for her, the Princess would never marry the farm-boy, would she?

Marry – he almost laughed aloud now, in his reverie. Amazons did not have a tradition of marriage. That was certainly out of the question. And Amazons did not seek male partners consciously. His thoughts deepened as he sank lower into the steam. It was hot and close inside. He sought solitude. The heat felt good. Already he could feel the tension drain from his body. He stretched, breathing into the cloud of steam, and drew a cleansing breath of moist air tinged with herbs.

Ah Rao, heavenly.

Steam curled from the other enclosure and he sensed movement. He glanced in that direction and his heart almost stopped beating.

A vision materialized in the vapor. A woman. He could see her clearly through the door, from the angle at which he was sitting. Diana, she stood with her back to him, long damp hair clinging to her nude body.

Superman swallowed hard. How long since he'd wished he had used his x-ray vision to look at her and never given into the temptation? Too long. In one languid motion, the vision drew a ladle of water from the heated pool and poured it over her head.

She turned, and the rise of one perfect breast came into view. Water sluiced over her skin. One shimmering droplet clung like honey to the pebbled tip of her breast.

He wet his lips.

As the vapor cleared, their eyes met.

"Diana."

She gasped, but did not cover herself, nor did she look away.

He was aware of his heart dancing in his chest, of the heat, and the closeness of her. He fisted his hands at his sides because he didn't know what else to do.

Her eyes roved over him in an entirely different manner than he had ever seen her look at him. He did not look away nor move, nor make any attempt to cover himself. Finally she turned away.

He breathed at last.

Seconds later he was dressed and stumbling out the door. He felt as though he had been exposed to red kryptonite, drugged, hung-over. Not himself at all.

A shape stepped out of the shadows and Hippolyta appeared.

"What say you, Superman? Will you wed Diana?"

Time stood still for a moment, a day, a lifetime, as the sound of the sea filled his ears.

"Yes," he heard himself say. "I will."

A ray of sunshine illuminated the grounds, breaking free from the clouds, and in the warm sunlight, Hippolyta smiled.


	10. Chapter 10

Safe in her own bed chamber, Diana's thoughts turned to the incident in the sauna. Her cheeks burned red. She had been so blatant in her perusal of Kal's body. She herself had no shame that he had seen her nude. Brought up as she had been, she was comfortable with nudity and thought nothing of it. So there had been no haste to cover herself or to pull a robe on. Besides, she had not wanted to break the magic of the moment. And had been entranced by the image of Kal bathing in front of her.

'Stop, Diana, pull yourself together,' she scolded herself. But ah, how was she to face him again? Surely she had courage? She was an Amazon, after all.

Taking a deep breath, she walked out of the bedroom to join the others. Maybe if she met Kal in front of the others, it would not be so bad.

Kal, dressed in white and blue robes (provided, no doubt by her mother) and Hipployta were talking quietly as they played chess. Diana frowned as her mother whispered something to Kal and he bent his head close to hers to catch the words and then laughed out loud. They seem too cosy together, too close for comfort. Whatever were they talking about?

As she crossed the room, Kal's gaze slipped to hers for the briefest of moments. Was that a smile breaking at the edges of his mouth?

Hyper aware of his presence, Diana pushed her feelings deep as they would go, hoping that in doing so, she wouldn't make a fool of herself. Luckily, her inward reactions to being in such close proximity to him were invisible to all but herself.

'Cassie has arrived, and Donna and she have gone to meet Artemis,' Hipployta said, just as Diana reached them and took a seat next to her mother. 'Kal agreed to play chess with me, and I think that he will lose this round,' she continued. She picked up a carved game piece from the board and placed it such that Superman was bound to lose five moves from now. Diana knew her mother had an unfair advantage, she had been playing chess for centuries.

Diana was grateful for the game just now. Anything to keep her thoughts in line – which were still wandering to image in the sauna. Even now, a vision of Kal, naked and sweating, flashed across her mind.

'Wow, my luck's really in today,' murmured an admiring voice. He was a young man of about nineteen, with an untidy mop of blond hair and mischievous green eyes, wearing the customary jeans and thick jacket, holding a sprig of mistletoe above her head.

Startled out of her preoccupation with Superman, Diana was shocked completely out of her reverie to see a young man she did not know, who she could not believe was on Paradise Island, let alone who looked as if he had every intention of kissing her.

'I don't think so,' Superman drawled softly who had stood up and come round the table to stand next to Diana, who was looking askance at both of them now.

An irritated green gaze was turned on the older man who stood so commandingly at Diana's side. The two gazes clashed challengingly but, whatever it was the younger man read in Superman's eyes, he looked disappointed rather than rebellious when he turned back wistfully towards Diana.

Then his expression brightened suddenly. 'Well, there's no reason why the mistletoe shouldn't be put to good use.' And he held the green sprig with its creamy berries over Diana's and Superman's heads, his intention obvious as he looked at them expectantly.

Diana was too embarrassed by the action to even glance at Superman.

How in Aphrodite's name were they going to get out of this one, and with her mother sitting there, looking at them curiously?

The idea of the two of them actually kissing each other was unthinkable!

'I—'

'It _is _Christmas, Diana,' Superman reminded her softly, the firmness of his lips softening into a smile as her mouth fell open in surprise at his remark.

The fact that her mouth had fallen open made the brief brushing together of lips that the kiss should have been, virtually impossible, their mouths melding together in a kiss that took Diana's breath away.

Superman was actually kissing her, was standing here in front of her mother and _kissing _her! It was unreal. Incredible. Beautiful. Wonderful…

And over much too soon.

She swayed dizzily, her mouth still raised in vitingly as Superman straightened, his eyes warm on her, looking for all the world as if he hadn't just shattered Diana's control.

'Great,' cried the young man. 'Well done, my name is Marlon, and I'm a friend of Cassie's.' That explained it. Marlon was dating Cassie, and being a member of the Teen Titans, probably knew who Superman and Wonder Woman were, even without their costumes. But that did not explain what he was doing here playing pranks with the mistletoe.

"I invited him here with Cassie,' her mother supplied helpfully, breaking into Diana's thoughts.

Marlon beamed at the two victims of his pranks, having no idea of the turmoil he had just created, then moved around them quickly to occupy the seat Superman had vacated. 'Cool, chess, oh man, that's a losing position, but let's play, Your Majesty!'

Hippolyta smiled at her daughter and Superman, before she turned her attention back to Marlon and the chess board.

The focus was no longer on the two of them, and yet Diana couldn't speak. Her lips still felt the touch of Superman's, firm and oh, so sensual lips.

She was breathing hard, her fingers still clinging onto his arm and she slowly forced her grip to relax as Superman looked down at her enquiringly.

'I—' She moistened dry lips. 'I'm sorry about that.'

'It doesn't matter,' he dismissed shrugging. 'It didn't hurt.'

It took a couple of minutes for Diana to re alize he was talking about her nails digging into his arm, and not the kiss! Of course, it would not hurt the man of steel!

How could he just carry on as if nothing un usual had happened, when to her it had been the single most breathtaking experience of her life? Because _he _wasn't in love, she acknowl edged heavily.

But, whatever she had thought of the in timate side of his life during the past few years, the kiss he had given her had been that of an expert, practised and assured. And she was left wondering _who _he had done the practising with!

'You didn't mind what happened just now, did you?' Superman had turned and seen her frowning expression. 'I thought it would cause less embarrassment to all concerned if we just humored Marlon.'

Of course he had; he certainly hadn't _wanted _to lose an opportunity to kiss her, he thought ruefully.

'I realised as much.' She nodded abruptly.

'Should we take a walk? I can show you around Paradise Island,' she murmured brightly. Anything to get away from her mother's knowing eyes.

He looked at con sideringly, his eyes a deep blue between thick, dark lashes. 'Certainly.'


	11. Chapter 11

They walked towards the stables, not speaking, neither one wanting to disturb the silence that had fallen between them. As they entered the stables, her favorite mare, Rika, nickered softly in the straw beside her and nudged Diana's hand for the treat she knew she had brought. She opened her palm and the mare made short work of the small turnip. She smiled and scratched her head.

It was the first time she'd been alone with Kal since this morning in the sauna. Now she wondered at the wisdom of it. Being with him now, unsettled her, made her feel…strange. Not like herself at all. Things had changed between them.

"Follow me," she said now, and walked towards the cliffs of Paradise Island, not waiting to see if Superman indeed had followed her.

After a short, steep hike to a ridge top, she stopped and turned, prepared to wait until Kal caught her up. He nearly walked over her.

"Great Hera!"

"Whoa, sorry," he said, displaying not a hint of remorse.

He was very fit, she'd give him that. In spite of his powers, she knew he worked out with equipment that he had fashioned from the Kryptonian elements of his old rocket ship.

Kal had not an inch of spare flesh on him. He was pure muscle. A dizzying image of him naked and powerful in the steaming sauna, caused her to suck in a breath.

Oh, she must stop these thoughts!

They rushed over her unbidden and unwelcome, at the slightest provocation. She must get hold of herself, and quickly. Difficult days lay ahead, and she would not allow one kiss to befuddle her thinking.

Or alter her convictions.

'What is that place?' Kal said, snapping her out of her thoughts. "Down there." He pointed at a forest clump of trees below them.

"Some of my sisters rest there. Those who fell in the battle with Hercules, so many thousands of years ago. Come, I will show you.' She started down the other side of the ridge toward the resting place, and Superman walked alongside her, the wind whipping at his hair and clothes.

Diana felt her foot slip a bit, and she struggled to balance herself. "Here, take my hand," Kal said. Before she could protest, he had clasped her hand firmly, and pulled her against his body, and begun leading her down the walk. Diana turned to look at him, loath to break the bodily contact. Their eyes met, and his flashed a hint of the warmth they'd held this morning. For the barest moment it seemed they were truly two hearts beating in harmony. She looked away, and the spell was broken.

"Thank you," she said awkwardly, and continued down the slope.

A few minutes later they stood amidst the graves, each marked by the weapons the Amazon had borne when she fell.

As she and Kal walked among the graves covered by the canopy of trees, Diana sent up a silent prayer for the fallen warriors. She came to the edge of the area, and turning, knelt down to say a final word, "Sisters, you lie in honour. Your death inspires us, your will gives us courage, by your courage we are healed. You will never be forgotten.' She repeated the ancient pledge.

Kal's hands on her shoulders felt strangely reassuring, and she drew strength from his presence near her, enjoyed the casual camaraderie that seemed to have sprung up.

As they walked around the area, they came to the warren of caves that had once held great fascination for Diana. She had played there as a child, then, as she grew older, she spent even more time making one of the caves her very own place. She still came here at times, she mused, to retreat, to review, to reflect, to regenerate. In fact, it was one of the spots on the island that she felt most at peace with herself.

Unsure if she wanted to share it with Superman, just yet, she made to walk away from the caves. But he was having none of it, he pulled her towards the caves, with every intention of exploring them, it seemed. She allowed him to pull her into the caves, knowing what he would find.

They went through the smaller entrance cave, then into the darker, larger one that followed it. Diana stopped a moment to light the torches on the walls. Their flickering illumination lit up the cave, throwing light on the scrolls and books that lay around. An artist had obviously been at work, for there was an easel, and paints, and brushes and unfinished art lying around. The walls of the cave had weapons and armor displayed. The eagle emblem on the armor proclaimed the room as hers. In one corner of the cave was a dressing area, and gowns hung there. As he walked around the cave, making appreciative noises, Superman noticed a small plaque that had been nailed to the wall. Familiar with ancient Greek, he read the inscription, which was a proclamation from Queen Hippoltya, declaring the caves as the inviolable sanctuary of her precious daughter, Princess Diana, off-limits to all except those who were permitted entry by her daughter.

Superman was intent on examining all the contents of the cave – and walked around looking at the scrolls and even the paintings that Diana had been working on. As he walked around, Diana hoped that he would not notice the small opening at the back of the cave, which she knew led into another cave that was more private, more secluded than this one.

Unaware of Diana's seeming nonchalance, while remaining terribly, terribly alert to his every move, Superman continued to admire what was obviously Diana's talents as an artist. This was an unknown side of her, and he was pleased to glimpse another facet of her talents and skills. As he walked near the secluded opening of the cave, Diana tensed.

Seeing the opening in the cave, Superman, took a step towards it, meaning to walk through.

'Wait,' she cried, 'don't go in there, just now.'

Nonplussed, he stopped and looked at her. 'Why not?' he asked reasonably, 'Come with me, then,' he invited.

She bit her lip as she thought about her next course of action.

As he waited, Superman hoped that she would share the cave with him. He could have easily used his x-ray vision to look through the stone walls, but had decided to respect her privacy.

Finally, she nodded as she walked toward him, her heart in her mouth and led the way through the opening.

Superman followed her in and stopped in open-mouthed shock.

The alcove was dark, with the torches yet to be lit, but there was enough light to just make out the small room. And Superman had super-vision, he certainly did not need the light to see the sleeping arrangement of floor couch, cushions, silk sheets or to see that one entire side of the wall was covered with a floor to ceiling mural depicting his face. In fact as he stepped more fully into the room, he realized that the mural was exceptionally good. His eyes in the mural seemed to have a life and light of their own.

Diana lit the torches in the sconces and stepped back, never taking her eyes from Kal. Superman in turn was fascinated. He locked eyes with himself in the mural, and realized that the eyes of his image were warm on him.

Baffled, he turned to Diana for an explanation.

'Well,' she began nervously, 'if you have not already guessed, my mother gifted this cave to me and I have used it as a space to call my own, a sanctuary ever since. And the artist who painted that mural was me. And the reason was–'

She realized, belatedly, that she was babbling and stopped mid-sentence.

Hoping to help her out, and avoid the inevitable awkwardness that would surely follow in its wake, Superman interrupted, "Look, the last few days have been a really emotional time for you, you know? Maybe… this isn't the best time to--"

'Kal, I think we need to talk.' she interrupted him, her eyes pleading with him, and he sighed as he dropped his gaze to the floor and his chin to his chest.

'How sure are you?' he asked.

'Sure enough to know that I want to have this conversation,' she answered, 'But not fully convinced that I need to have it,' she added, and he sighed again as he gestured towards the floor couch; an invitation for her to sit, which she did.

Stepping over slowly, he joined her, then folded his hands in his lap, asking carefully, 'It's because things have changed between us now, right?'

With a sense of remorse, she nodded, then answered, "And I know it's my fault."

'Fault isn't the right word,' he insisted gently. 'You didn't do anything wrong,' he added, but she scoffed in response.

"I shouldn't have brought you here," she shot back, the irritation in her tone directed at herself. "I should've kept my feelings for you to myself, like I had been."

Seemingly startled, he asked, "How long had you been keeping it? How long have you felt this way?"

"A while," she shared, "But I didn't really realize it until Lois."

"Until Lois… what?" he asked, confused, requesting clarification.

"When I saw how in love with her you were," she explained, "And realized then that I'd missed my chance."

You didn't feel this way when we first me,' he reminded her, scowling at his lap.

There was a kind of pain in his tone, and in his expression, and it made her guilt soar for being the cause of it. "I know," she said, "But, that's what planted the seed, I think. It's just… it was growing so slowly, I didn't realize, until--"

"Until Lois," he interrupted, finishing for her, and after a soft sigh, she muttered 'yeah' in response. "You said, two days ago, that you did not want to be around me,' he recalled. "You said it like it was something you could never get past. What happened to change that?" he asked, his gaze still planted on his lap.

'I spent the last few visits to the island thinking things over. The farther I got from you, the easier it was to put things in perspective,' she answered. "I know I needed to stop being near you with the way I was feeling, or I would not be able to stand myself. It wasn't easy resigning from the JLA," she added.

"No, it can't have been easy," he confirmed, shaking his head slightly at the memory. "I can't imagine how hard it must have been,' he said.

Diana continued, 'But, really, that wasn't the hard part. Resigning from the JLA, I mean.'

"Then," Kal asked, almost hesitantly, "What **was**?"

"The hard part," she replied, "Was knowing how wrong it was, feeling this way about someone who was already taken."

Sighing, he told her, "I wouldn't say it was wrong. Besides, Lois and I are just colleagues who go out on an occasional date. And I don't think that it's going to go anywhere, Lois has fallen in love with Perry White's son, and I think that they might well get married in April. Besides, it's not like you tried to sabotage our relationship, or break us up. You always encouraged me and gave me great advice—Wait." He interrupted himself, turning to face her, staring over at her intently, and with concern, though she didn't so much as glance back at him. "You were trying to help me keep her." When she nodded, though just barely, he then asked, "Why? Why did you do that?"

He was fitting the pieces together. The bigger picture was becoming clear to him, Diana could tell.

Sheepishly, she answered, "Because, I wanted you to be happy."

"Yeah," he countered, "But, it seemed to go above and beyond, especially considering your… your, um, feelings," he added awkwardly.

"I guess," she muttered, feeling every bit as uneasy as he seemed; her courage starting to run out. 'What should I have done? Given bad advice, hoping you'd take it and ruin things with her? What kind of person would I be then, if I had?' she asked, finally braving eye contact.

She shook her head vehemently as his eyes followed the lines of her face.

"Don't," she breathed, reading the intent in his blue eyes.

Too late.

His mouth covered hers in a kiss that was neither tender nor controlled, and that screamed with a frantic possessiveness that shocked her nearly off her feet.

Her instinct to fight him crumbled instantly under the weight of some deep longing that she did not understand. A need for him that was more than physical. A yearning for closeness, for—


	12. Chapter 12

Caught up in the heady glory of his kiss, Diana did not even realize that Superman was whispering something to her. Unable to make out what he was saying, she reluctantly pushed herself out of his embrace and asked, 'How do you feel about this?'

He pulled her sharply back into his arms, groaning into her hair, as if he hadn't known what to expect from her. 'I've been so afraid…' he ad mitted shakily. 'Needed you so much… Oh, God, Diana, I love you!'

Her breath shot from her lungs in a tortured sort of gasp. Her heart nearly burst for love of him.

Joyously, elatedly, she said, "I love you, too, Kal."

'So,' he ventured carefully, 'You didn't' mind my kissing you?' It wasn't a question.

"No," she answered honestly.

It was perfectly clear in that moment. It just clicked, like the cap on a pen, and just as simple. When he shifted closer, she dared to look up at him; the expression on his face made her heart stop. Something in it was different. His eyes seemed brighter, his smile slight, yet almost seductive. She was so mesmerized by it, she didn't realize what was happening, until his lips were on hers.

With a soft cry of compliance she moved her arms up about his neck as her body curved into his, loving every pleasurable sensation that action caused.

The world slipped out beneath her, and she floated weightless in the tender wash of the kiss, his breath hot and sweet, his tongue smooth as glass as she opened to him.

What was happening?

'Diana,' he breathed against her mouth. "Put your arms around me."

She obeyed without thinking, and he deepened the kiss. His body settled atop hers, the weight of him solid, comforting. His mouth moved over her skin like a firebrand, and she gasped with a spiraling sensation she could not comprehend, his hands moved quickly removing her clothing and his, baring their flesh.

'Touch me,' he whispered in her ear. It was not a command, but a plea, invoked with such sweetness she could do naught but respond. His fingers played her like some rare instrument.

Her hands roved his back and buttocks with a will of their own. He moaned in pleasure, and his surprising response spurred her on. She kissed him with a ferocity that shocked her, 'Kal,' she breathed involuntarily, and fisted handfuls of his hair. Heat spread from her center like molten steel.

'Oh, Diana,' Superman groaned. 'Rao, the warmth of you!'

Warmth didn't begin to describe the raging inferno that exploded between them, a fire that had her gasping with pleasure at the moist heat of Kal's mouth on her breasts as she ex plored every hard inch of his body with hands that trembled in the shy compulsion. Lips that searched, hands that caressed, bodies that cried out for a burning satisfaction neither of them could deny.

And when that moment came it seemed to last forever, and yet for the briefest, most beautiful moment in time, suspended pleasure that made them soar and peak before gently falling back to earth with their bodies still entwined.

For a long time after, he did nothing—he simply held her close to him, looking at her in the softness of the torches' glow. She feared to look at him, but curiosity overcame her apprehension and she stole a glance.

His face was shadowed in the firelight, his black hair had gold highlights. Her gaze drifted lower, across the muscled expanse of his chest, which rose and fell with each measured breath he drew. His body was hard and lightly furred, all burnished gold as if the sun had kissed him.

Her own breathing grew quick and shallow under his scrutiny. And when their eyes finally met, what she read in his stirred her blood.

Desire.

Nay, it could not be. Not again.

Yet even as she formed the thought, his hands trailed lightly over her thighs. She gasped at his touch.

Kal pulled a blanket over the sleeping Diana beside him, and wondered what had come over him. The torches burned low, and in their waning light he looked at Diana, his love and swore to always make her happy. Would she agree to be his forever? He did not know if he could bear to settle for anything less. He knew that she would be truthful with him.

She was, in her lovemaking, as open and straightforward as she was in her other dealings with him. Even now, his desire for her surged anew. He knew if he touched her, chanced the simplest caress, she'd wake and look at him in wonder, as she had when first he'd touched her, as if he'd done something remarkable.

There was no way this could be real. It was a dream. It had to be. Only, it felt too real to be. Felt too perfect to question it, though a tiny little niggle at the back of her brain told her she probably should.

Diana stretched with the sensuousness of a cat, cosily warm beneath the blanket despite her nakedness.

Nakedness…

Her lips flew wide open as she realised from the glowing ache she felt in her body that the memories she had this afternoon were no dream, that every ecstatically beautiful moment of it had been a reality.

Kal and she had made love, not once, but twice, with a gentle intensity that made her cheeks blush and her breathing become raggedly erratic. He was everything she had thought he could be. Compassion, tenderness, generosity… and she smiled…

She turned to see him sitting at the foot of the bed, watching her avidly. Afraid of his reaction, she smiled nervously, but Superman put her fears to rest by gently kissing her.

Smiling, she looked up at him, 'I love you,' she said. 'And I love you,' he responded, 'and we need to talk.'

They spent the next few minutes cuddling and kissing, enjoying their new found intimacy, before realizing that they would be missed. As they dressed, Diana hoped her mother had not sent out a search party for them.


	13. Chapter 13

'You are very special to me, Diana,' Superman mur mured huskily, his gaze searching her face as they neared the more public area of the Queen's Palace.

He stopped and cradled each side of her face with warm hands and gently kissed her.

She put her arms up, around his neck and kissed him back.

Then, reluctantly, they broke apart and began to walk back together, hand-in-hand.

'Today was—nice,' Diana told him huskily. Superman nodded. 'Today was very nice. But I hope that each tomorrow is better than today.'

Diana looked at him searchingly; this really was a Superman she had never seen before.

'I—'

'Oops, are we interrupting something?' an overly innocent-looking Terry stood in the doorway, an embarrassed Donna at his side.

Superman turned slowly, keeping one arm about Diana's shoulders. 'Not at all,' he an swered smoothly for both of them.

'Sure?' Terry persisted mischievously—to Donna's increasing discomfort.

'Very,' Superman drawled ruefully, not at all perturbed by the other man's behaviour.

'That's OK, then,' Terry answered lightly, although it was obvious by the slight irritation in his eyes that he would have liked more of a reaction. 'Donna and I were just about to have a snack. Care to join us?' He turned with Donna and walked towards the dining room.

It wasn't the easiest of times, with Marlon and Terry doing their best to be annoying, and Superman fending them off with lazy amusement, with Donna and Cassie pestering her for details, and with her mother smiling indulgently at her.

Hippolyta's sharp eyes had roved her eldest daughter's face when they couple had walked in. She recognized the glow on Diana's face for what it rightly was – the glow of a well-loved woman. She had seen that glow on her own face often enough. And she smiled secretly to herself, hugging herself with the knowledge that Superman would indeed make good on his promise.

Diana managed to get through the rest of the evening and then escaped to her bed room at the first opportunity.

She hadn't been in her room long, only time enough to have showered and put on a fresh gown, when there was a gentle knock on her door. She didn't feel in the mood for sharing any more confidences with Donna or Cassie to night, much as she loved them.

It was Superman who stood outside her bedroom doorway.

Diana just blinked at him, too surprised to speak, her peach-coloured gown clinging to her lovingly in the lamp's glow.

'I wanted to say good-night to you in private,' he told her huskily. 'The ever-watchful Terry observes all the time,' he ex plained drily.

She grimaced. 'I'm sorry about that; it's his idea of humour.'

Superman nodded. 'I got to know him reasonably well a couple of years ago. Diana,' he added seriously, 'there's something else I need to say to you before this day ends.'

She stiffened defensively. 'Yes?'

He glanced around at their lack of privacy with him still standing out in the hallway. 'Could I come inside for a few minutes?'

'Yes, come in,' she invited abruptly, pre ceding him into the room, turning sharply as she heard him close the door.

He looked at her searchingly, his clear blue seeming to sear into her soul. 'Oh Rao, you are the most incredibly beautiful woman! Diana…'

She wanted him so badly, knew the need was echoed in his own eyes as their lips met and fused, hurting her in their fierceness at first, and then becoming more sensuously de manding as passion claimed them both.

Her gown rustled silkily to the floor at her feet, Superman's clothed body abrasive against hers. He shrugged out of his own clothes with impatient movements, all the time their lips still fused in melting passion.

And then there were no more barriers between them, burning flesh melding into burning flesh, everything but each other for gotten as they were pounded with the tides of passion.

Diana lay replete in his arms, her head on the warmth of his shoulder. Their lovemaking had been even better than before, more des perate on her part, more warm and giving on Superman's. This unexpected closeness had been such a surprise that Diana couldn't help cherishing the memory of it.

But she forced herself to focus on what Superman was saying. 'It was only when I faced the prospect of Christmas without you that I realized that I needed to do something about my feelings.;

'Christmas without me?' Diana repeated dazedly.

'Diana, you were cutting yourself out of my life on Christmas Eve. I hadn't taken any more steps to take our relationship further because I thought you needed more time. But I was dying inside. I wanted to hold you and kiss you and touch you but I had to be this hard, cool person who was unaffected by you. I was jealous of everyone, even Bruce,' he confessed.

'And when I heard you were rushing to Themyscira because of Donna and Terry's engagement and to spend Christmas with them, I knew it was time to act. To tell you how I felt.'

She swallowed hard. 'Christmas with Doona and Terry?' she prompted for something to say, trembling at the hopes—and dreams—his words had resurrected.

Superman gave her an indulgent smile. 'If Donna and Terry could get engaged, then Amazons got married! I suddenly realized what a fool I was for not talking to you earlier.' Her eyes widened. 'You did?'

'Mm,' he confirmed ruefully. 'It was bad enough that we would no longer work together, but to realize that you could marry someone, perhaps, another man… I've rarely felt jealousy before, but I defi nitely felt it then. I knew very clearly that I couldn't let you go without some sort of fight.'

'So it was not about my resignation?' She was almost afraid to ask the question, but there could be no more pretence between them now.

'I love you very much, Diana.'

He got out of bed and knelt down besides it. 'Diana, the thought of life without you fills me with despair. Even more so since I've known the complete warmth of you.' He clasped her hand in his. 'I've dared to hope today, Diana…'

There was no arrogance about him, only a silent pleading.

'I've loved you for so long, Kal,' she told him steadily.

'Then why—?'

'Why leave the JLA and you?' she finished with a soft sigh. 'Because I finally decided that loving you so futilely was destroying me.'

'Oh, God,' he groaned, briefly closing his eyes. 'If only I had realized. I've been going through the same uncer tainty myself. If I had been bolder earlier, we could have sorted things out. Look how much time we wasted.'

'But we've found each other now,' she said gently.

'And now?' He looked at her searchingly.

She moistened her lips. 'That's up to you.'

'Diana, will you marry me? And make me the happiest man in the world?'

He was the most powerful man in the universe but his love for her made him so vulnerable, he was going to need a lot of loving. But no one could love him more than she did; no one ever would.

'That sounds like a wonderful idea,' she told him huskily.

He pulled her sharply into his arms, groaning into her hair, as if he hadn't known what to expect from her. 'I've been so afraid…' he ad mitted shakily. 'Needed you so much… Oh, God, Diana, I love you!'

'And I love you,' she murmured back to him.

He kissed her again and again, peppering her face with kisses. Oh, she felt good in his arms.

'S-someone might come in.'

'Let them. We can be married tomorrow.'

She looked at him, her face a radiant fusion of desire and love, and in that moment he knew at long last the farm boy had won the Amazon Princess

He lost himself in her eyes, the feel of her hands roving his body, and gave himself up to the moment. His hands glided over ribs and rounded hip. Slowly he ran his tongue across her throat, her ear, her chin. He tasted his way across each rib, over the soft flat plane of her belly.

She closed her eyes and drew breath.

'Diana, love,' he breathed. He moved atop her, their bodies melding in wet, silken heat.

She wrapped her legs around him and pulled him close. The fierceness of her response thrilled him, fueled his desire.

'Love me,' she whispered.

His heart stopped. 'Forever,' he whispered, 'forever.'


	14. Chapter 14

'What does it feel like to be becoming a god father?' Diana teased Superman lightly as the two of them lingered over Sunday breakfast.

A year had passed since that magical Christmas on Paradise Island, eleven months since they had been married. They had been thrice married – by Amazonian rites, followed by a sweet ceremony in the Smallville church in front of Ma and Pa Ken and all Clarks' friends and finally, in a Kryptonian ceremony in the Fortress of Solitude with a Kryptonian priest saying the rites over them as virtual images of Jor-El and Lara looked upon them.

Super-heroes from all over the galaxy had made it to at least one of the ceremonies and good wishes were still pouring in. They had to take a lot of teasing, and Bruce had claimed to have seen it coming. They had both taken a break from JLA duties to spend time with each other and build up their relationship and had only recently gone back to full time duty.

Today was christening of Donna and Terry's daughter, Lia.

'Daunting,' her husband replied ruefully. 'How does it feel, becoming a godmother?' he returned teasingly.

'Daunting,' she laughingly echoed his reply.

The last year had seen a lot of changes in Kal: he was more demonstrative in his love and affection, was softer, gentler, and there wasn't a day went by when she needed to doubt his love. It hadn't all been easy, but then she hadn't expected it to be, and the reward of being loved by Kal and loving him in return had more than made up for any awkward moments they might have had.

'But not as daunting as the prospect of be coming parents ourselves,' she added softly.

Superman shrugged. 'I'm sure we'll cope if the time ever comes—Diana?' He looked closely at her suddenly glowing face.

She got up to come around the table to hug him from behind. 'I've been trying to find the right moment to tell you—'

'The right moment?' He pulled her down on to his knee, his eyes glowing his pleasure. 'I can't believe it! _Are you _pleased?' he suddenly faltered.

She looked up at him unblinkingly. 'Ec static!' Their dark-haired, blue-eyed baby! Kal's baby.

'You've given me so much—'

'We've given _each other _so much,' she cor rected firmly, her fingertips on his lips. 'And now we're going to have a child to love and share, too.'

'All my Christmases are yours!' He buried his face in her neck.

Yes, forever.


End file.
